Brahma-Sūtra 3.4.48

English of translation of Brahmasutra 3.4.48 by Roma Bose:

“As in the case of asceticism, on account of the teaching of others as well.”

Nimbārka’s commentary (Vedānta-pārijāta-saurabha):

In the very same manner, the teaching of asceticism in that text is meant for exhibiting all religions duties, since like the teaching of asceticism, there is the teaching of the duties incumbent on all stages of life in the text: “There are three branches of religious duty” (Chāndogya-upaniṣad 2.23.1^[1]).

Śrīnivāsa’s commentary (Vedānta-kaustubha)

The author points out that similarly here too the teaching of asceticism in the passage: “Then an ascetic” (Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad 3.5.1), preceded by that of the life of a mendicant: “Then they live the life of mendicants” (Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad 3.5.1), is meant for exhibiting the religious duties incumbent on all stages of life.

Thus, here too, the teaching of asceticism, preceded by that of the life of a mendicant, in the passage: “The Brāhmaṇas, having risen above the desires for sons, desires for wealth, desires for worlds, live the life of mendicants” (Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad 3.5.1), is meant for exhibiting the religious duties incumbent on all the stages of life. Why? “As in the case of asceticism,” i.e. because like the teaching of asceticism, there is the “teaching of other” stages of life too in the passage: “There are three branches of religious duty. Sacrifice, study and charity are the first; austerity alone is the second; a student of sacred knowledge living in the house of a preceptor and exhausting himself completely in the house of a teacher is the third. All these become possessors of meritorious worlds. One who stands on Brahman goes to immortality” (Chāndogya-upaniṣad 2.23.1) and so on. Hence it is established that the states of learning, childhood and asceticism are enjoined here.

Here ends the section entitled “The injunction of another auxiliary” (12).

Comparative views of Śrīkaṇṭha:

He begins a new adhikaraṇa here (two sūtras), concerned with an entirely different topic, viz. whether those -who practise the wow of Pāśupata and do not belong to any particular stage of life are entitled to salvation. The answer is that they are entitled. Hence the sūtra: “On account of the teaching of others too (viz. calmness and the like, etc.) like, asceticism”. That is, asceticism, as well as calmness, self-control and the rest, which have been designated as auxiliaries to knowledge, the means to salvation, are enjoined in connection with the vow called Pāśūpata [Pāśupata?] as well. Hence it follows that those who practise this vow, automatically practise asceticism and the rest, gain knowledge thereby, and attain salvation through it.^[2]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Quoted by Śaṅkara, Rāmānuja and Baladeva.

[2]:

Brahma-sūtras (Śrīkaṇṭha’s commentary) 3.4.48, pp. 413-414, Parts 10 and 11.